


A Kiss With Meaning

by wonderlandiscrumbling



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Comfort, Hurt feelings, Intimacy, Kissing, Love, M/M, Mild Drama, Tension, season 4, slight romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 21:54:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14246526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderlandiscrumbling/pseuds/wonderlandiscrumbling
Summary: Ed knows that he needs to tell Oswald what happened with Lee in the Narrows, but he also knows how poorly his boyfriend will react to the news. Even if the kiss was only just a kiss.





	A Kiss With Meaning

**Author's Note:**

> I have a million ways the B plot could have gone. This is another one of those ways.

There was a relief in being ‘home’. Ed took issue with referring to the safe house as their home, the mansion was their home, but until Jerome grew bored of claiming Oswald’s property as his new hideout, then they were stuck with this. Ed noticed how tense he was, he knew it was driving him crazy thinking over the things the psychotic red-head could be doing in his home. Ed wished the problem was as easy as strolling up to Valeska and shooting him between the eyes, but even he knew that would come with great risks and high chance of failure. The fantasy of shooting him was a comfort, even if he doubted it could come true. 

Halfway through dinner Ed picked up on the sort of silence. He’d noticed once he’d come back that Oswald seemed quiet but had brushed it off as having to do with Jerome. Ever since that first call from him Oswald had been acting odd. This silence was different than the tense anxious kind, there was added staring from across the small dining table situated just outside the small kitchen. Ed picked up his wine glass, as he took a long drink he chanced a glance at Oswald who as he figured, was staring at him. There was an intensity in green eyes circled with black liner, Ed wondered if he knew. If he did, he wondered how on Earth he knew. He lowered his glass and cleared his throat, Oswald immediately looked down at his plate. Ed smiled a bit as he watched him aggressively stab his fork into the remains of his meal.

“Anything on your mind, you know I don’t like us having secrets.” Ed inquired.

A rule they’d set up after leaving the docks had been to be more open and honest. Even he had to admit prior issues were due to his own dishonesty between them.

Oswald tensed, he let out a heavy sigh before forcing a smile that wreaked of sarcasm as he looked up at Ed.

“How did things go in the Narrows?”

The corner of Ed’s mouth twitched up into the beginning of a smile, bemused that he did seem to know what happened. There was overall though a strange sense of guilt though. Even right before he’d entered their shared home he’d grown paranoid that Oswald would smell her perfume, that perhaps he hadn’t been able to completely scrub off her lipstick from his lips, he’d known regardless he was going to tell him, but hadn’t planned on so soon. 

“Fine I suppose, Lee of course found out about my little show, and shut us down.” He said sighing. He really had enjoyed Riddle Factory, a part of him loathed that she’d shut him down, but that had always been a part of his plan.

Oswald continued to stare at him as if silently wanting to know more, but Ed knew him well. He knew as much as he wanted to know, he didn’t want to know.

Ed found himself growing nervous as he thought over how to tell him. He’d rehearsed on the way home how to broach this, how to confess to him what had transpired. He sighed realizing it would have been easier the other way, let Oswald catch them and solve the issue in a fit of rage, it would have been more fun and bloody.

“Ed, did something happen?”

“Lee kissed me, she’s convinced that I’m in love with her.” He scoffed at the thought. “For whatever reason she thinks I’m like Ed, that I’m going to follow her around like a hopeful puppy.” 

He felt renewed annoyance at her cockiness from earlier in the evening. Her certainty that his denial of love for her meant that he was in fact in love with her, she knew who she was speaking with. Those words truly weren’t meant for her.

Ed was pulled from his thoughts when Oswald suddenly scooted his chair back, he stood and began to leave the room. It was one of the possible reactions he’d expected, it was that, understanding, or screaming. He supposed he was grateful he wasn’t screaming, the last thing he wanted was Oswald waking Martin up.

He got up from the table and followed him into their shared bedroom. Ed closed the door behind them, he grabbed Oswald by the arm his grip firm as he turned him to face him. 

“What’s wrong, I told you before how Ed felt about her, and we knew it was possible she’d do something like this.” 

Oswald jerked away from him taking a step back. “I’m sorry that I’m not thrilled that you were making out with Lee Thompkins while I was in company of a psychopathic clown getting inmates blood all over my home.” He spat back bitterly.

“We didn’t make out, she kissed me.”

“And what did you do?”

He fell silent for a moment, “I kissed her back.” He answered truthfully.

He watched Oswald, watched the tears fill his eyes and his cheeks flush. He knew he was angry, but he was also hurt more than anything. Ed took the chance to step closer to him, this time he placed his hands on his hips pulling him close against him. Oswald didn’t push him away, he just stared up at him as if trying to figure out which emotion to settle on; hurt or rage.

“Do you love her?”

“No, of course I don’t love her.” He felt nearly offended he could think that, but he supposed he could understand the concern. “I told her that those words weren’t meant for her. They’re meant for you.” He leaned down kissing him gently, he brought a hand up to stroke his fingers along his jaw. “I love you, Oswald.” 

He brushed the tears from his cheek with his thumb, he was relieved when Oswald wrapped his arms around his waist holding onto him. 

“I’m sorry, I should have known you wouldn’t….”

“It’s okay, I just need you to trust me, I would never do anything like that to you.” He softly said.

Oswald looked up at him and he could tell he was struggling with himself to really believe him, he took no offense with that. Ed smiled as he stared back at him, almost wishing he could have gone along with him. He stroked his fingers along the side of his neck pushing aside the collar of his shirt, he furrowed his brow as he noticed the bruises on his throat. Oswald noticed his confusion, he started to speak, but Ed was already unbuttoning his shirt enough to push the collar back and get a better look at the ring of harsh bruises surrounding his neck like a painful choker.

“Did Jerome?”

“No, that is from Butch. I can’t say he was all too happy to see me when I went to recruit him.”

“Does it still hurt?”

“No, not really.” Oswald smiled. “You know how good I am at getting my ass kicked.” 

Ed laughed shaking his head. “I hate to say, but the bruises look oddly lovely.” He commented. 

He leaned down to press a kiss against the side of his neck, lips brushing against the dark marks there. He felt Oswald’s fingers curl against his back, he could hear him gasp. He resumed his work of unbuttoning his shirt pushing it back over his shoulders, Oswald shrugged it off the rest of the way then tossed it onto a chair situated by their dresser. Ed’s hands rubbed along his sides, fingers touching along scars he was just recently beginning to memorize, he continued kissing his neck, tongue brushing against his skin earning soft moans and sighs.

He pulled back to look at him, he smiled noticing the way he was blushing. 

“I feel after the day you have had you deserve a nice warm bath.” 

“Only if you join me.” Oswald said smiling softly.

Ed kissed him, lips lingering against his. He started to pull away, but Oswald placed a hand against the back of his neck pulling him back down again kissing him more deeply. Ed kept him pressed close against himself loving the feeling of his warm body, the softness of his lips and the faint taste of wine. Love was not something Riddler took lightly, not a word he would throw towards a woman with a Robin Hood complex who wanted to use his needs and emotions to get what she wanted. No, love was reserved for the man he believed in, that he planned on running the city with.


End file.
